One of the most disconcerting (or simply
annoying) aspects of home ownership surfaces when a part of your house you normally take for granted fails to function.

This thread is created to share our construction experiences in the hope of helping first-time home owners or the busy ones in their builds.

So for those who have had a home built, the engineers, builders, architects, real estate developers - this is the thread to provide all those lessons learned, things you would have done differently, things you're glad you did, etc....

By sharing our lessons-learned, we might spare someone else a bit of head scratching and perhaps enable other folks to avoid the mistakes we made.

Ok den

ORDERING AND DELIVERY OF MATERIALS

I used to have the feeling that timely procurement of materials would aid completion date but now I know that a late delivery, and incomplete load, damaged materials can dramatically slow the building cycle costing not only time but money.

Lesson learned: have supplies delivered a day early to the site and to check the
delivery for accuracy. For a small project, working with a smaller company would make more sense. They're still searching for clients and would likely want to impress.

Just-in-time deliveries of structural elements and interior building materials to match the progress of construction will reduce time used for moving or locating materials. Thus reducing the time needed to complete a project.

Time is Money!

Pic: Waiting for sand

CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS

I've come to realize that the standard building materials and installation methods that the majority of the people from the USA, Canada and Europe are accustomed to is different from what we're used to in Africa, especially Nigeria.

If you're building in Nigeria for the first-time, you may not initially notice the lack of amenities that you can't do without. Always follow up with your contractors, architects, and builders to be sure you're on the same page.

Down here, there is much less attention paid to finish details by the local contractors and
architects. The average Nigerian feels that many of the following amenities foreigners include in their homes are extravagant and unnecessary.

- Hot Water from all Faucets
- Vented Plumbing
- Drains with Traps and Clean Outs
- Sufficient Electrical Outlets
- Screens on Windows that Open
- Shower Sprays located above our Heads
- Garbage Disposals
- 8' Minimum Ceiling Height
- Countertops that are large enough
- Cabinets with sufficient storage
- Roofing that prevents rodent intrusion
- Drive-in Garage

Recently, a client from the USA asked me why he needs to have overhead tank in his proposed development. He doesn't see such addition in most buildings around him even skyscrapers

This is Naija, every man is a republic of his own.

DON'T OVERBUILD!

My advice would be to not overbuild. I have a boss whose house was way too big (a single family apartment with 38 rooms, 92 doors, 101 windows), there were rooms they literally do not go into for years, which was f*cking stupid.

There will be many many things that you think you are "supposed to have" as a successful professional that are really just a waste of money and space, try to fight that and use the money elsewhere.

Always value location over the actual house.

Very insightful, thoughtful thread. Keep em coming.

Working with Builders

Research:

Check for references and ongoing projects (to be sure he'll have the time for your project).

Avoid Guess-timates and get more than one quote. Be sure to identify exactly what the job will entail.

Draw up a Project Schedule

Draw up a contract which details the cost and
timeframes. It is very important to do so at the initial stage.

Be Involved!

Help your builder understand the look you are
going for. Show them pictures and magazines of the kind of things you want. Be sure you fully understand what the builder is telling you to avoid nasty surprises. Talk to the site manager or supervisor and not the subcontractors to avoid confusion.

Monitor the Job:

Keep tabs on how the job is going. Tell the builder as early as possible, if you feel your agreements are not being met.

THE INEVITABLE CONSTANTS

- no matter how accurate you are on take offs it is inevitable that you'll always need additional materials during the project.

- no matter how deep in detail you go with your builder and architect, there'll always be questions that have to be answered during the project to keep them moving.

- There'll always be permits, dues and fees to pay. Be ready for those surprises.

- It is fabulous seeing your building emerge from the drawings (in 3Ds). The final look may be odd.

- Building will always take longer than whatever anyone promises.

As stressful as home building can be, it also come with lots of excitement.

You are Spot on Brabus! As challenging as building projects can be, they bring lots of excitement and superb learning experience. Keep on shining bro!

The Big Irony

- Builders, architects, real estate gurus, masons, and other tradespeople in the construction industry don't really schedule meetings, 'how about now' works for them. If I lie, ask Spyder880.

- Things deemed 'not needed until later', will be needed today. If they say, it will be needed - make provision for it asap.

- The shorter your emails, the sooner you'll get a reply. Keep the long sermon for later and be brief.

- In our construction world, variations and additional extras are a way of life. Be prepared!

Jussi: You are Spot on Brabus! As challenging as building projects can be, they bring lots of excitement and superb learning experience. Keep on shining bro!

@Jussi, I am a big believer that we learn as much from other people’s failures as we do from their success.

The fact that we share our mistakes makes us all reading this thread better home owners / investors. And that's the true excitement.

Am_Alone shared his experience on how he got fake stone-coated roofing installed for him and thousands of people learn from it.

Brabus 'reno-viction' project is another great lesson for many first time home owners who has learnt how to avoid booty-traps in construction projects.

Share your experiences with us!

CONTRACTOR'S INTERVIEW

Here are some of the most important questions that you should ask when interviewing contractors.

1. How many projects do you currently work on?

It's good to find out how many projects the contractor is presently handling.

Case Study 1: The builder handling on Mr. Okafor's project also have several projects he's working on at once. There would be a lot of progress on the house for a week, and then the crew would disappear for two to three weeks as they rotated to another project.

2. Have you done similar work?

It doesn't really matter the qualification of the contractor, always remember that one size doesn't fit all. Just because someone is
an experienced carpenter doesn't mean he can handle roofing woodwork.

Case Study 2: Phil was a certified civil engineer whose experience was almost entirely in road construction. While he was knowledgeable about building bridges, drainages and roads, he wasn't familiar with the process of building a single-family home
and couldn't help his brother who's planning to build a 3 bed bungalow.

3. Do you plan to subcontract the job?

It is very important to find out if the contractor has a crew that's working for him or if he's going to sublet some work (such as excavation or roofing). Ask if he has worked with them before. If so, how many times?

Case Study 3: XYZ Builders uses different subcontractors for his projects in order to maximize his profit. He engaged Akeem to install wall tiles in the bathrooms based on what Akeem told him that he can lay tiles. Meanwhile, Akeem was a bricklayer. The end result was a bad job.

brabus: The Big Irony

- Builders, architects, real estate gurus, masons, and other tradespeople in the construction industry don't really schedule meetings, 'how about now' works for them. If I lie, ask Spyder880.

- Things deemed 'not needed until later', will be needed today. If they say, it will be needed - make provision for it asap.

- The shorter your emails, the sooner you'll get a reply. Keep the long sermon for later and be brief.

- In our construction world, variations and additional extras are a way of life. Be prepared!

Loving this, nice hard facts.

"New construction" or "Quality Construction"

"New" does not necessarily mean "soundly constructed." High price does not mean high quality.

Unfortunately, in the construction world, "new" doesn't have the same meaning as say, a new car. It only means that no one has lived there yet.

Just because you're spending a lot of money
in your "new house" does not mean you're getting commensurate quality. A N50m house may be loaded with cheap windows, a lousy paint job and leaking roof - if you don't pay attention, you might get a house that's really worth much less than you're paying and even spend more on repairs and maintenance.

Case Study 1: Mr & Mrs Gabby contracted ABC Builders to build their new home. In 4 months, the house was finished and delivered to the client.
To the uttermost dismay of the home owners, the roofs were leaking and they've had to reconstruct the fence wall 2 times in 8 months.

Case Study 2: XYZ Homes had completed new homes in the water-logged swamp down the street. They claim the house was thoroughly engineered to withstand any condition. 2 years later, some of the houses begin to subside.

A common practice when building in water-logged area (especially areas with high water table) is to do a raft foundation which does NOT GUARANTEE anything.

High water table means the water pressure in
the soil is high and the soil in such area is likely to be weaker.
If the building site is surrounded by areas of
higher ground as in case study 2, the underground water will flow to the site and this may cause pressure beneath the floor slab or increased moisture levels.

It explained the reason why the couple in case study 1 had to reconstruct their fence 2 times in 8 months.

While you can't become an expert in construction overnight, surround yourself with experts who won't be fooled by a bad construction that is disguised with pretty moulding and nice painting.

"No bottom to how cheap you can build"

A home can be built with no supports, too small of a foundation, no building plan, no special windows. It can be built on solid rock, unstable soil or on water (as they do in Makoko slum).

Develop a budget, but be careful not to make it too low . Essentially, do not get too caught up in how to make your home cheaper stay focused on how to make you home a good investment.

Incomplete Plan and Specifications - The beginning of problems

Incomplete or ambiguous plans and specifications, either due to incompetence on the part of the architect or because not enough time and money was spent on them or because it was lifted off the internet can lead to problems.

- Less accurate builders quote: the builders quote will be inaccurate if given partially completed plans and specifications.

- Variations: Builders and designers will rely on variations to correct conflicts and inaccuracies in the plans and specifications.
This cost time and money which is either borne by you or the builder.

Speak to an Architect today!

Problems

1. Failing to do what you’ve promised. For example, provide water.
2. Failing to pay on time.
3. Misunderstanding the plans and making incorrect assumptions. It is not the fault of the builder if at the end, you say “that’s not what I expected” if everything is built properly to the specifications.
4. Buying cheaper materials for the job with the view of saving cost, without consulting the builder. If things go bad, you're on your own.
5. Going into the project with the attitude that the builder and subcontractors are trying to rip you off, without understanding the complexity of the building trade.
6. Having unrealistic expectations. Do your homework about the kind of features you want and if they aren’t what you expected, don’t use it as an excuse to not pay the builder.

Cost Saving, True Savings

To save money on building materials you need to analyze design and function. It is important to review the layout of the home, the function of each rooms, and to see which material will work best.

I would rather spend less on roofing and have a nicer kitchen than spend more on ceiling and have leaking pipes.

Cost saving should be achieved by having efficient design, not efficient negotiation!
The durability and longevity of the products should be the priority. You might find a great deal on laminated flooring in the lobby, but if it starts peeling up in two years due to traffic, you will have to spend thousands to fix it.

In this instance, the cost savings were consumed by having to fix or replace the materials and hire a contractor to install it - all of which cost more than using a quality product upfront.

Case Study: A client was trying to save cost by using rubber tiles in the tenants apartment. When we calculated the associated costs, we discovered that he'll be spending more money installing rubber tiles than installing ceramic tiles. How? He'll be paying for the following items:

1. Flooring Materials (Cement and Sand)
2. Rubber Tiles
3. Tiles Adhesive/Glue
4. Workmanship (Tiler, Bricklayer and Labourers)
5. Replacement cost (2 - 3 years)

So, where's the saving?

Swamps for Building or Growing Rice?

excerpt from an email correspondence.

...we need an estimate for site preparations costs as this will determine our budget left for building. The land will need a borehole, septic, and pond for a drainage point.

Please kindly furnish me with a rough range of costs.

Swamps in other cities like Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia etc in South East Asia are used to produce rice and other food crops for their consumption.
But for us in Nigeria, we have not developed these lands into productive agricultural use but instead build weak structures leaning like the Tower of Pisa on them.

Consciously and unconsciously or knowingly or unknowingly, we are building on these viable lands that are hazardous when disasters strike. We have blocked the exit ways for run offs that are supposedly meant to enter the sea and as a result, we do experience large pool of water in the city.

Truth be told, these lands are not good for human habitation but these are where we are and we call our own. Snakes do visit us from time to time and water borne diseases are also inevitable.

Though construction in a swamp is difficult, time consuming, and expensive, it is possible to accomplish. Tests should be carried out before the land is purchased and before the project is started.

Building on solid ground must be our goal for such land is not in limited supply.

Note: I am not a land owner nor am I promoting them for commission but just appealing for our future safety.

Pic 1. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Quality Roof = Leak-proof

All types of roof, whether flat or sloping roofs, must be leak proof and also have a good means of draining away water from rain.

Roofs whether pitched roofs or flat roofs must have at least some angle to them, for the rain to drain away.
The slope on the roof is very important as it
allows the water to flow away and not impeded in any way.

The higher the slope, the better.

Foundation Cracks - Keep the 'Water' away

Soil quality and moisture content are the major causes of shifts in building foundations. Insufficient bearing soils (peat, sand and expansive clay) may cause the foundation to shift and pull apart.

Although the surface of the ground can appear stable and dry, insufficient bearing soils may be present below the surface in a deep layer that will compress under the weight of a building.

Causes of Cracks

- Poor workmanship by the builders.
- Use of loose dirt to level out the ground before casting the foundation.
- Different moisture content in soil.

Cracks do occur when there are differences in moisture content beneath the foundation. Soil will shrink when it is dry and expands when filled with water.

Rule of thumb - Keep water away from your foundation.

Pic: Subsidence (4-board raft foundation for a fence)

Foundation Height - How high should I go?

I've always wondered how we determine the height of the foundation when building a new house. Whenever I go through neighborhood, I notice that some of the properties are barely of the ground, some have only a single step up from the ground, and others have several steps.

Foundation heights are determined based on many possible reasons.

1. Road Level: fdn should be at least 12" above grade.

2. Water Table: in some areas with high water table, you'll see a foundation coming up 4' or 5' out of the ground.

3. Existing Properties In some cases, foundations are built to match existing properties on the street to keep them uniform.

4. Community Drainage: foundations should be kept at least 12" above drainage.

5. Thickness of the WALLET


Pic: Foundation at 4ft above water level

Construction Materials - Wastage Allowance

Allowance must be made to cover for wastage which may arise from:

Handling/Breakages - blocks, tiles and paving stones etc have a high breakage rate

Site losses - sand and other aggregates will always be trampled into the ground or washed away by rain

Offcuts - Planks, wood, glass, plywood etc are materials supplied in standard sizes and has to be cut to fit or to shapes. Losses are inevitable

Excessive usage - when there are too many rookies in a project, more materials are likely to be used due to inexperience.

Build Cost - Help Your Builder

Almost everyone want to have an idea of average build cost of their new home. But is that really possible without full information?

NO!

Guess-timate is a terrible way to budget for a home, because there are so many variables involved that the contractor may overlook or simply ignore.

Here are your cost determinants:

- Are you using top-of-the-line cabinets and appliances for your kitchen, or will mid-range or maybe standard ones do?
- Are you planning to paint the house with cheap emulsion paint or expensive stone tiles?
- How big is 'BIG' enough?
- How many floors do you want?
- What kind of shape are you building? Is it a rectangular house that minimize the materials and the labor required, or unusual shapes like octagons or trapezoid?
- What sort of flooring?
- What sort of ground are you building? Is it murky sand, hilly site, gentle slope or steep slope?

These are few pointers that can help you make rough cost calculations.

Interview at least three contractors and check their references.
Once you've found someone you like and trust, take your preliminary budget and work backwards, including the must-haves and
eliminate the nice-to-haves as money allows.

Always set aside at least 10% to 20% of the total project cost to cover last-minute changes, delays and other problems you can't foresee.


[size=16]Builders aren't "Mind Readers"[/size]


_________________________
Pic: Top-of-the-range bath - Ikoyi, NG

New Build - Fit Out vs Technical Aspects


Building a new house can give you a lot of excitement. Of course, it can also give you all sorts of nightmares if it goes wrong.

The classic places where things go wrong are:
- underestimating costs
- underestimating length of build
- not putting enough thought into the technical design of the building

A well-built house must efficiently take care of all the technical issues, such as lighting, heating, cooling, foundations etc.
You really don't want to live in a house without cross ventilation, house that requires lighting in the day or a house with foundation issues.

The Obvious Mistake

Most homeowners tend to ignore all the technical aspects of the building and focus only on the pretty stuff, the fit-out. They love choosing colours, selecting fittings and fixtures as if it really matters.

Any fool can paint a room, lay the tiles, fix the windows or change taps. However, the technical decisions are permanent decisions you make in the planning stage that will determine if the house will be livable. In fact, they're fixed for the life of the building

[size=16]Not all that glitters are gold.[/size]


Pic: Foundation (Reinforcement & Formwork)

Foundation Depth - How DEEP is deep enough?

I always wonder "What does a client need to know about foundations?" I think it is a subject that should be left for the structural engineers alone. But should we really do that? No, we need to understand the basics.

Foundation Design/Engineering is the most boring subject I've ever heard from engineers. It defies logic. I used to assume that the higher the structure, the deeper the foundation.

However, I've found out that foundation depth does not depend upon height. More height means more loads coming on the soil which means greater strength required at the width of the base rather than depth

Foundation depth depends upon various factors like:

1. Bearing capacity of the soil, which explains the reason why pile foundation is recommended in areas with insufficient bearing soil.
2. Function of the building (public carparks, auditorium, private residence, MTUs etc)
3. Wind loads
4. Depth of water table.

When it comes to foundation depth and height, there is a caveat. Don't Assume - Speak to a Qualified Structural Engineer.

___________________
More updates on this topic when I gain more information.


Pic: Columns

good job, poster. i have learnt so much, pls keep it coming

Project Supervision: Architect or Builder?

Extract from an email correspondence.

... would like to build a duplex in Abuja. Who would you recommend to supervise the project. An Architect or a Builder?...

In construction world, there are no two builders, architects, or contractors following the same construction practices or procedures, so recommending whom to choose to supervise a project is a bit tricky.

The Gospel Truth

When you give your job to a builder based on lowest quote for construction, the contractor in turn will build your house with lowest labour charges and lowest material content to increase his profit.
The main goal of any builder/contractor is to make profit, so don't expect the best of his quality if he quotes too low.

So many people believes in 'quality construction' at lowest cost. Big LIE!

So, it is gullible to put the coach of one side in charge of a final match. Definitely, he'll take advantage.
Builders/contractors are more knowledgeable about construction than you do. In fact more knowledgeable than architects in many cases because they knew the terrain better and had experiences managing most difficult situations. So, he can choose to misguide you

In a fair environment, an architect or engineer is the best person to employ as a project supervisor. He must be knowledgeable as well. You don't want to put an engineer who builds bridges in a bungalow project, you'll end up spending more than imagine.
An architect can guide contractor to do construction as per drawings and instructions.

For sure one thing is bound to happen, the builder/contractor will demand more money when someone knowledgeable is involved.

Abi na lie, segcy.moor, ihebrooke


[size=16]Builders don't vex o![/size]

"ALL COSTS ESTIMATES ARE ASSUMPTION"

Till the date of completion of the building, no one has the magical capability to say cost of construction just by seeing a plan or elevation of a building.

Nobody knows what will be the cost of materials and labour tomorrow or in months to come.

Efficient Designs: Natural lighting or PHCN?

Case Study: Mr. Brown stayed in one of the serviced terraced apartments overlooking the Atlantic Beach in VI, Lagos. Of course, he enjoys natural light and fresh air in this vacation home.
At the same time, he was building a country-home in Nnewi, Anambra and had commissioned one of the best building firm in town to handle the designs and construction.

The design firm put up a nice structure for Mr Brown with state-of-the-art facilities (automated gate opener, solar-powered ACs, voice-activated light, day/night sensing security lights, sprinkler etc). But Mr Brown still felt something is missing. Natural Light!!!

I love the designs and concepts of Haven Homes, Nigeria based on functionalities. Their daylighting concept offers natural light and effective illumination through windows, ventilators, skylights etc and not via ACs. It also reduces lighting/energy bills while maximizing visual comfort. Different things appeal to different people sha!

I wonder why windows must always be the standard 1500 x 1200, 1800 x 1200, 600 x 600, when we have extreme hot weather. Why doors must always be solid core? Why all rooms must have curtain? Why all houses must have an AC, when PHCN is yet to meet their 4000mw target? Why we must rely on artificial lighting when we require generators to power them? Too many questions begin for answers.

Daylighting provides freshness and enhances efficiency. It brings the outdoor inside and has direct impact on productivity.

Real life: I used to live in a rented flat with 4 units of 2hp ACs burning fuel, wasting money. But now I live in a house that has no need for fan talkless of ACs. Everything is natural!

Pic: A double volume house with large windows. Good lighting.

Before You Build: Site Selection

via BBM

I'm a silent follower of your thread and I'm enjoying every bit. Do you have any suggestion or tips for those of us who're still in the process of buying lands.

Before we build, we must buy a land. A good land! The question is how do we identify a good land.

Selection of site for developmet can be determined by many factors of consideration which includes:

1. Land value & projections
2. Check whether the land is not affected or likely to be affected in 50 years by any government scheme like road widening scheme or any other reservations. Its not funny.
3. Distance from Airport, Hospital, Schools, Park/recreational areas, Market, Church/Mosque, and Work place.
4. Availability of basic infrastructure *(Road and Electricity top the list).
5. Authorised for residential use. Don't go and buy burial ground : )
6. Security: Not a war-torned areas like Boko Haram communitieis, not a military barrack (anything can happen, not praying for bad).
7. If possible, AVOID SWAMPS!
8. Do NOT buy a land at the end of a steep slope. You don't want to spend all your money building drainage channel to divert water away from your land and spend all your time and money repairing fence if not the house.
9. Try to avoid hilly or rocky sites. Getting water is near impossible.